Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-11
Gen. Logan's Wife's Childhood.

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The American ancestry of Mrs. Logan
goes back to sturdy Irish settler OF Viz
ginia and French pioneer of Louisiana.
Her great-grandfather, Robert Cunning
ham, of Virginia, was q soldier. of the
war for independence, after which ne re-
moved to Tennessee, thence to Alabama
and thence TO Illinois, when still Terri
tory, and there mauumitted bis slaves
Her father, Capt. John N. Cunningham,
served in the Black Hawk war. He
was member of the Illinois Legisla-
ture in 1915 and 1916, and served
in the Mexican war. Her mother was
Mrs. Elizabeth Fountaiue, of a distin-
guished family OF that name which had ar
rived in Louisiana during the French oc-
cupancv OF that country, and mad thence
journeyed up the Mississippi river and
settled ia Missouri. 1t was here that
John Cunningham met his bride. and it
was near the present village of Sturgeon,
then known as Petersburg, In Boone
county, Mo-, that NJ ary Summerson Logan
was born, Aug. Is, 1888. When she was
year old her parents removed to Illinois
and settled at Marion, In Williamson
county. 1t was here that the mother and
her eldest daughter, then but 8 years old,
shared the dangers Of a frontier home and
the cares and sOlicitude OF q growing
family, when the husband and father
went forth to fight the battle OF his cOun-
try upon the parched plains OF Mexico,
and Draved the trials and privstlons of a
miners lie in the Serras OF California.
This courageous and dutiful girl re-
lived her mother, who was not strong, OF
most of the household work, and still
found time TO attend the primitive school
OF the neighbOrhood and train herself in
useful needlework. The father felt Just
pride in his eldest daughter. The assist
ance which she had rendered her mother
during hI5 long absence in Mexico and
California had even more closely endeared
her in his heart, and her love OF study had
prompted him TO give part Of mis- income
to her proper education. Accordingly, in
1858, the daughter was sent to the Con-
vent St. Vincent, near Morganfeld, XIV,
a branch OF The Nazareth Institute, the
oldest of the kind in the country. THIS
was the nearest educational establish
ment or sufficient advancement in the
higher branches of knowledge. The
young lady was reared Baptist; after
her marriage che joined the Methodist
Church, the church OF the Logan
family. Having graduated in 1885, Miss
Cunningham returned to her fathers
home at Shawneetown. In her younger
days, when mere child, she had aided
her father as Sheriff OF the county, Clerk
of the Court, and Register Of the Land
Office in preparing his papers. Those
were not the days OF blank forms for legal
documents. Accordingly the father de-
pended upon the daughter 10 make copies
for him. While Mary Cunningham was
thus aiding her father in his official duties
John Logan was prosecuting attorney of
the District. He had known Father Gun.
nipglam and was hts warm friend. lie
had kuowu tbs daughter as a little girl
ImdS55 they were married, and at once
wenB.. TO the young attorneys home at
Benton, Franklin county. The bride was
IS years Of age, but her young life had
been ono otJlseiulness to her mother and
Of greataeEyice TO her father